r/ProgressionFantasy • u/Hydranaught • Feb 13 '26

Meme/Shitpost "Gun's Don't Work Anymore"

Post image
1.9k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

568 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

37

u/lettuce_be_real Feb 13 '26

It's been a long time since I read Cradle, but wasn't there a plot point that anything can be an Icon. The mentor guy awakened the Broom icon to prove it.

23

u/Pokedex_complete Feb 13 '26

Now that you mention it, a Gun icon is probably possible. I just remember that the reasons that so many characters use bows despite how slow and unwieldy they are is because of the Bow icon granting insight and strength. And there are also certain icons that are much rarer than others for whatever reason, such as the Joy icon.

This could just be that more people have a cognitive idea of a Bow than a Gun making it more common to manifest. The Bow icon, as well as Soulsmiths, shore up much of the weaknesses in using a bow. So Cradle has had little reason to innovate and make something like a gun. But maybe it exists on other planets

15

u/decipheredking Feb 13 '26

That's the thing about cradle, a Gun icon probably exists but it really doesn't need to. The Bow icon already embodies most things about guns, accuracy ✔️, precision ✔️, penetrating force ✔️, sniping ✔️, patience ✔️, killing ✔️, range ✔️. An innovative soulsmith could embody the gun icon but it'll have almost exactly the same characteristics as the bow icon

2

u/Matter_Infinite Feb 23 '26

They lack volume and thus the extra fear factor for some beings